Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar
U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) led 27 Republicans to introduce legislation that would develop and disseminate a civic education curriculum and oral history resources to help teach middle and high school students about the dangers of communism and totalitarianism.
On Sept. 5, Rep. Salazar sponsored the Crucial Communism Teaching Act, H.R. 5349, with original cosponsors including U.S. Reps. Mike Bost (R-IL), Buddy Carter (R-GA), David Valadao (R-CA), and Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) to make the educational materials available through the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.
“Communism is one of the most destructive political ideologies the world has ever seen,” Rep. Salazar said. “The Crucial Communism Teaching Act is important because our youth must remember the crimes of the communists, including those inflicted upon my constituents and their families in Florida’s 27th district.”
The framework for H.R. 5349 was inspired by the Never Again Education Act, which Congress passed in 2020 to create a program to educate American students about the Holocaust through the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, according to the congresswoman’s office, and the bill continues similar efforts in Florida and other states to educate American students on the failed experiment of communism throughout history.
“Communism is dangerous, it is evil, and our children are being lied to about its merits. We must do a better job of educating our youth so that the horrors of communism never see the light of day on U.S. soil,” said Rep. Carter. “I’m proud to co-sponsor Rep. Salazar’s Crucial Communism Teaching Act so we can improve our schools’ curriculum and set our students up for success.”
Rep. Smucker pointed out that it’s critical to ensure students are taught the history of death and destruction caused by communism and the present dangers of this ideology.
“I remain concerned at the number of Americans who hold favorable views of this dangerous ideology,” Rep. Smucker said. “I appreciate Congresswoman Salazar for leading this legislation and am proud to join her in supporting it.”
H.R. 5349, which is supported by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee.